AMD, Alibaba ink cloud solution deal
AMD President and CEO Lisa Su announced on October 20 a deal with the cloud-computing arm of Alibaba Group. In a statement, Su said the agreement focuses on research related to the use of AMD’s technology in Alibaba Cloud’s global datacenters. Through the partnership, Alibaba Cloud plans to use AMD technology to help expand its cloud computing offerings and accelerate adoption of its cloud-based services.
Fujitsu introduces IaaS cloud solution
FUJITSU Philippines Inc. said it continues to expand its roster of cloud services to optimize business operations in the country. Mark Oliver Pandy, head of Fujitsu Philippines’s managed services business unit, said the company now offers an array of trusted Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud solutions. “We are taking the lead of introducing the benefits of cloud technology in the Philippines,” Pandy said. By using IaaS cloud solutions, companies could align costs to actual operating expenses rather than investing for physical servers or leasing colocation facilities, which both need a number of servers and administrators.
Uber, Transfast launch ‘free ride’
GLOBAL funds transfer leader Transfast announced on October 13 a new partnership with Uber, offering a free Uber ride to senders and recipients of funds transfers in 12 countries worldwide. In a statement, Transfast said it will offer its customers sending funds to participating countries, including the Philippines, the opportunity to receive a free ride and to offer their recipient a complimentary ride, courtesy of Uber. Senders and recipients must be first-time Uber riders. The promotion runs until November 30. Aside from the Philippines, countries included are India, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Indonesia,Mexico, Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Canada and the United States.
I.P. Converge links up with U.S. aid provider
IP Converge Data Services Inc. (IPC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ePLDT Inc., announced it signed a deal with the Philippine International Aid (PIA), a US-based charity that has been providing health and educational assistance to underprivileged youth. Under the program, IPC will fund the school expenses of five students of the Eulogio Rodriguez Integrated School in Mandaluyong City. The funds provided will take care of tuition, books, supplies, field trip costs, uniforms, shoes and allowances for meals and transportation. Rizal Raoul Reyes
Uniphore bares advanced version of speech software
UNIPHORE Software Systems Inc. announced on October 17 the availability of the next version of its speech analytics solution called auMina. The Chennai-based speech recognition solutions company said auMina version 2.4 introduces first-of-its-kind innovation of business packs, specifically designed to drive a set of business outcomes by providing predictive and prescriptive insights from data. The latest version enables quicker value realization through faster and standardized deployments by leveraging intelligence gained from multiple deployments.
Lenovo rolls out smart meeting room solution
LENOVO Corp. announced recently it has made available in the Philippines its “Smart Meeting Room Solution” (SMRS). A collaboration with Intel Corp., the SMRS features technology that Lenovo said will transform meeting room spaces, change the way employees collaborate and provide a valuable boost to productivity through a seamless wireless connection. The SMRS allows devices to connect wirelessly to new or existing displays, projectors, or interactive whiteboards—no cables needed, Lenovo said. Dennis D. Estopace
AGS holds SAP Hana simulation
ABM Global Solutions (AGS) Inc. announced the recent launch of its enterprise resource planning (ERP) simulation for the SAP AG high-performance analytic appliance (Hana) business suite version 4 (S/4 Hana). The S/4 Hana is an ERP suite for digital businesses built on in-memory platform and developed by SAP AG (Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung Aktiengesellschaft). This core digital solution supports the Internet of Things (IoT), “Big Data,” real-time analytics, mobile, business networks, third-party systems and a number of other functions. Rizal Raoul Reyes
UCT selects Bristlecone for SAP implementation
THE president of Bristlecone Inc. announced on October 19 that Ultra Clean Technology Inc. (UCT) has initiated a digital transformation beginning with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by adopting SAP AG’s business suite called S/4 Hana. The multi-year, multi-continent effort will be managed and implemented by Bristlecone, a Silicon Valley-based supply chain advisory and analytics SaaS+ firm, Irfan A. Khan said. “With our adoption of SAP S/4HANA, UCT will be able to boost efficiency and response times and provide our customers a performance advantage,” UCT CEO Jim Scholhamer said. Rizal Raoul Reyes
Synectics says surveillance solution used in cruise ships
SYNECTICS Inc. announced on October 5 that one of the cruise line operators in Asia-Pacific is adopting its surveillance solution for its two cruise ships. SThe 21-deck floating casino resorts will weigh more than 200,000 gross registered tonnes, feature in excess of 1,600 cabins to accommodate around 4,500 passengers and 2,000 crew, and boast state-of-the-art, global class leisure and entertainment facilities. The 2,000-channel Synectics surveillance system developed for both ships will enable operators to monitor, control and respond to alarms from third party cameras and emergency systems across the entire ship for comprehensive situational awareness. Oliver Samson
Remitly names new chief product officer
REMITLY Inc. announced on October 14 it has hired Karim Meghji as Chief Product Officer. Meghji brings over 25 years of product development and innovation experience to Remitly and will oversee product management, design and engineering, the company said. Meghji has led numerous product teams through large scale growth and global expansion at companies including Booking.com where he was Head of product. Remitly claims to be the largest independent digital remittance company in the US. The company is headquartered in Seattle, with additional offices in the Philippines and Nicaragua. Rizal Raoul Reyes
Payoneer announces $180 million financing round led by TCV
DIGITAL payments company Payoneer Inc. announced on October 5 it has completed the first closing of a significant growth equity financing. The company said TCV Khabarovsk LLC led the round and was joined by existing investor Susquehanna Growth Equity. “Proceeds from the financing will be used to accelerate global growth and to enhance an already strong and debt-free balance sheet,” the company said. In addition to its investment in a newly issued preferred stock, TCV has also committed to purchase shares from existing shareholders, pending regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. Rizal Raoul Reyes